Posted by Commander Nivor Rhansi (Executive Officer) in XO’s Office: A Meeting of the Minds

T’Mara glanced up from her PADD and noticed a tall, male Vulcan in a medical uniform watching her. A moment later, he approached.

“If it is permitted, may I join you?” he asked.

“It is permitted,” T’Mara said placing the PADD on table next to the remaining medialuna. “I assume that you have some purpose in wishing to contact me since there are empty tables in the immediate vicinity.”

“Indeed. You are a Vulcan on the Starbase that I do not know. My name is Simujah and I am a medical officer here.”

“I am T’Mara Miichaels. I will be assuming the Chief Science Officer position on the USS Leviathan as soon as it arrives. It is unlikely that I will require medical attention in the interim.”

“In all probability,” Simujah said. “Michaels. A human name, I believe.”

“It is. My adoptive parents are human.”

“That would explain the Terran dishes as well. A croissant unless I am mistaken.”

“An Argentine medialuna. It is delicacy very similar to the croissant,” T’Mara said. She interlaced her fingers and wondered if that was too human a habit. “Other than assessing a potential patient and unraveling the mystery of a Vulcan dining on a Terran dish, do you have another objective for this relatively awkward conversation?”

“Relatively awkward conversation… An interesting expression,” Simujah said. T’Mara glanced down at her PADD as it beeped an incoming message. “It is logical to maintain positive relations with others on the Starbase even if they are transitory and I find you to be an interesting individual. And I suspect that message is informing you that your ship has completed its docking procedure.”

“Your assessment of the message is correct,” T’Mara said. She began to rise from her chair. “I should join my ship now.”

“I look forward to meeting you again.”

=/\= LtJg T’Mara Michaels, Chief Science Officer

A couple days later…

Nivor tossed aside yet another PADD, glad to be done with the cargo manifests, but now growing weary of reviewing the crew manifests. He sighed, rubbing his tongue against the side of his cheek to feel the breather on the other side. With the captain locked away in meetings with - what did humans call them? “The Brass” - for so long, he’d been slugging away at this himself. Normally the two would be doing at least some of it together, discussing the crew members, strengths, weaknesses, getting a feel for each other as well as the crew. He sat up straighter and lifted a PADD, an idea racing through his mind. He flicked the list and stopped it, scanning, then tapped his combadge.

=^= Commander Rhansi to Lieutenant Michaels. Could you report to my office please. =^=

He needed to meet the new department chiefs, and it would give him a slight break from this… monotony.

XO Rhansi

T’Mara nodded as she made her way to the Leviathan. She tapped her communicator.

=^= Lieutenant Michaels to Commander Rhansi. I am on my way. I should be boarding Leviathan in ten minutes and at your office after another ten minutes. Michaels out. =^=

Moments later, she was at the ship itself and was greeted by a Human ensign.

“LtJg T’Mara Michaels requesting permission to come aboard,” she said. The young man glanced down and then nodded.

“Permission granted, Lieutentant. Your gear has already arrived and I see that we have your assigned quarters located on Deck 4, room 412. Your office is in the Sciencce Labs complex. I hope that is satisfactory,” he said,

“It is satisfactory. However, what I need at this moment, are directions to the XO’s office.”

“I see. One second please,” he said as he reached below the podium and pulled out a PADD. “This will guide you there. You should take the turbo-lift at the end of this corridor. Will there be anything else?”

“That should be sufficient for the moment,” T’Mara said.

“Welcome aboard then and live long and prosper.”

T’Mara nodded to him with the faintest hint of a smile.

Five minutes later, she stood before the door of the XO’s office and pressed what would have been called the doorbell a few centuries earlier.

=/\= LtJg T’Mara Michaels, Chief Science Officer